Sleeper Team in the Big East Conference
College basketball opened up a day ago with a full slate of games primarily consisting of one-sided affairs with some programs even opting to play some lower division schools for their first game of the season. While only a handful of contending teams played “real” competition the previous day, there are still a number of take-aways from the first day of official CBB action. Yesterday reinforced my preseason prediction that the St. John’s Red Storm would be an absolute force in the Big East this season.
Now, is this absolutely an overreaction following a singular game against a far inferior Fordham team? Absolutely! But is that not why we watch sports to begin with? Regardless, Pitino’s squad absolutely showed up on Monday defeating the Rams 92-60 at Carnesecca Arena in Jamaica, Queens. The Johnnies shot an impressive 54.5% from the field led by the scoring efforts of sophomore Simeon Wilcher (17 PTS) and their high profile off-season acquisition Kadary Richmond (16 PTS). The duo of Wilcher and Richmond will absolutely be one to keep your eyes on as the season progresses. Slick Rick was certainly pleased with his squad’s performance, even if he did flame the administration for their lack of efficiency getting fans into the sold out arena.
The Big East is certainly going to be one of if not the best conference in all of college basketball this season and even if the popular assumption is that UCONN is destined to dominate for another season, I believe St. John’s has the chance to give the Huskies and the rest of the Big East squads trouble. The Red Storm came in at 5th place (Behind UCONN, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette) in the preseason coaches poll. Rick Pitino is only in his second season in Queens and unlike last year, his team is filled primarily with “his players.”
It’s still early in Pitino’s tenure, but St John’s fans are starving for a competitive team that can make a legitimate run in the Big East Conference Tournament let alone a March Madness run. However, I am confident that “New York’s Team” is going to be a legitimate contender in the 2024-2025 season.